27 May 4 ways to quiet imposter syndrome and believe more in yourself
It’s hard to be happy if you’re constantly doubting and questioning yourself.
Happiness is far more likely to come to those who believe in themselves, realistically but optimistically.
Unfortunately, many of us feel like imposters; worried that others will catch us out and discover our flaws and failings.
Although this is normal to some extent, it can also eat away at happiness and confidence. But the good news is that you can use these 4 strategies to improve yourself and your life…
via TED Ideas by Tania Katan
Many of us have an inner voice telling us we lucked into what we have or we’re a fraud. That’s normal; the problem is when we believe it. Here’s how to start recognizing your own worth, from coach and consultant Tania Katan.
I’m about to get onstage at one of the largest tech conferences in the world, CiscoLive!. Then, I’m supposed to share some wisdom that will inspire thousands of people to embrace their inner superhero. No biggie. (Insert emoji face screaming in fear!)
Just so you know, I love public speaking. But that doesn’t mean I don’t channel my inner scaredy-cat when staring out into a sea of smart, capable and curious people. My nerves start acting up, especially when I am reminded that it’s me, a five-foot-three-inch nerd with a tendency toward seasonal eczema, about to tell a room full of real, largely acne-free superheroes how to be a … superhero.
Holy fraud, Batman!
I am scheduled to speak right after the senior vice president of Cisco Systems and right before Lieutenant Carey Lohrenz, the first woman lieutenant to fly an F-14 Tomcat in the US Navy. Talk about intimidating.
Palms a little sweaty, I climb up onto the stage. I stare into the sea of faces and ask, “Are there any superheroes here today?” I take a breath and continue, “That’s right, we are all born superheroes, then we spend the rest of our lives apologizing for it.”
Just like that, I’m off and running. The minutes pass faster than a locomotive, and I exit the stage in a post-talk fog. Standing there is the first woman F-14 Tomcat fighter pilot, who says, “How am I going to follow that? You were amazing!”
But here’s the thing. Until that moment, I was totally convinced that I had blanked in the middle of my talk, farted, or used the f-word. I was positive the wave of applause was actually an explosion of boos.
Isn’t it amazing how sometimes the only difference between feeling like an imposter and a superhero is finding out how other people see you from the outside? But what if we could channel that outsider all the time — like what if we could carry a fighter pilot around in our pockets to constantly remind us how awesome we are? And we actually believed it?
If you often feel like a fraud or phony and worry that someone is going to call bulls—t on you at any moment, you’re not alone. It’s been proven that the more accomplished we are, the more likely we are to feel like an imposter. In fact, the more I coach and consult with some of the most hardworking, intelligent and super-successful business leaders, performers, movers and shakers, the more I hear: “I feel like an imposter; can you help me with that?”
We all feel like an imposter from time to time — that we lucked out and it’s the only reason we’re running the company, speaking on stage, leading trainings, being given opportunities. Even worse is when we decide that we don’t have the credentials, knowledge or experience to run the company, speak publicly, lead trainings or get opportunities, so we don’t even try or we give up too quickly or we tell ourselves that pursuing these things isn’t that important.
The truth is, we are all a hard act to follow. So, can we put a lid on those internal monologues? And while it often takes an outsider who believes in us to see what we’re capable of, we can develop that capability inside ourselves, too. We just gotta do our homework, develop our skills, and show up — and continue to scale buildings like the superheroes we are.
If you’re not ready to embrace your inner superhero, do it for the young people in your life just so they can see what it looks like to be scared but do it anyway. Or, do it for your colleagues; otherwise, you’re cheating them out of all the ideas, skills and connections you’ve developed and could develop. Don’t be stingy with your gifts.
Here are four creative ways to silence your fear and insecurity and unleash your superpowers…
…keep reading HERE